Publications

Newsletters

February 2024

THE TEN PRECEPTS FROM OHNO
We recently looked at Ohno’s 10 Precepts and found 3 particularly interesting. 1. Make problems visible. (we need to get better at this) 2. Valueless motions are equal to shortening one’s life. (and as a coach, I am certain it shortened mine) 3. Wisdom is given equally to everybody. The point is whether one can exercise it. (Huge point) Thoughts?

FATHER OF STATISTICS AND INFERENCE
Karl Pearson is considered the father of statistics. In his book “The Grammar of Science”, he discussed inference. His analogy is with a blackboard. When we see or hear about one, we “know” certain things. It has a hard surface. It is heavy. Touching it, we would sense a cool sensation. Hearing the name of the item, Pearson says we are inferring properties. While this is helpful, at some point we benefit from specific measurements to quantify what we inferred. What does this mean for us? While we may believe things about a new component or material, we still need to understand it by test. If we focus on weight, that only considers one dimension of what constitutes a blackboard. If we want to characterize something, we need to take a broad view but also gain specific details and depth.

THE FOUR AGREEMENTS - MAKE NO ASSUMPTIONS
More from “The Four Agreements.” The next section is “Make No Assumptions.” They are often low probability and worst-case options. It can create poor decisions and incorrect actions. It starts when we recognize we are making an assumption. Next consider options and look for facts. This is vital in technical problem solving and life.

Newsletter archive

Projects

Product Sensitivity Analysis using Design of Experiments (2021 Minnesota Quality Conference and 2022 Minnesota Reliability Consortium)

YouTube recording and slides for Product Sensitivity Analysis using Design of Experiments

Aligning DOE with FDA Expectations (2017 Medical Design and Manufacturing Conference)

Design DOE Case Study - cooling

Manufacturing DOE Case Study - welding

DOE In Industrial Testing (2009 White Paper)

Product Understanding (2017 Reliability Consortium)

Innovation in Manufacturing (2012 Central Minnesota Manufacturers Association)

Why Use DOE Upstream in Design (2013 Medical Design and Manufacturing Conference)

YouTube recording and slides for Why Use DOE Upstream in Design

Root Cause Analysis (2012 Life Science Alley)

3 Factor, Full Factorial Template

4 Factor, Full Factorial Template

Reliability and DOE (1998 Reliability Consortium)

Does Experimental Design/ DOE Work in Software (2018 Product Camp)

Design DOE Case Study - User Complaint Resolution

Manufacturing DOE Case Study - New Equipment Set Up

DOE Expectations for Tier I and II Medical Industry Suppliers (2007 Biomedical Focus Conference)

Accelerating a Predictable Validation Process (2020 American Society for Quality)

Avoiding Design Loops in New Product Development (2012 Professional Development Summit)

Practical Monte Carlo Analysis (2021 Minnesota Reliability Consortium)

Program Management

Quality Culture for Product Design Success (2021 Minnesota Quality Conference)

YouTube recording and slides for Quality Culture for Product Design Success

Best Practices for Robust Product and Service Design (2019 Product Development and Management Association)

Excellence Framework for New Product Development (2011 Minnesota Quality Conference)

Systematic Innovation (2016 Innovators and Entrepreneurs of Minneapolis Meet Up Group)

Project Management Case Study - Medical Device

Project Management Case Study - Defense

Risk Management in Process Development (2022 Engineering and Quality Forum - MAPP and ARPM)

Requirements in Innovative Environments (2013 Professional Development Summit)

YouTube recording and slides for Requirements in Innovative Environments

Resourcing Improvement Projects (2020 Minnesota Quality Conference)

YouTube recording and slides for Resourcing Improvement Projects

Getting the Best from your Engineers (2014 Innovators and Entrepreneurs of Minneapolis Meet Up Group)

DOE in Cost Estimating (1998 Society of Cost Estimating Analysts)

Program Management in Education (2008 American Society for Engineering Education)

Bringing Your Product Performance To Next Level (2018 Medical Design and Manufacturing Conference)

Is Risk Management Valuable for Me (2010 Minnesota Quality Conference)

Risk Management Lessons Learned (2022 Medical Design and Manufacturing Conference)

DOE in New Product Development (2001 Biomedical Focus Conference)

Project Management Best Practices (2019 Medical Design and Manufacturing Conference)

Training

Training Case Study - DOE

Feasibility Studies and Process Design (2021 IMDA / TopCon Conference)

Experimental Design in Systematic Innovation (2017 Product Camp)

Just Say NO to the Johnson Transformation (2022 White Paper)

Robust Design (2015 ASME and IEEE Conferences)

t-Test Explanation (2009 White Paper)

ANOVA Explanation (2011 White Paper)

Connecting FMEA and DOE (2007 Reliability Consortium)

Communicating Statistical Information (2012 Association of Clinical Research Professionals Bootcamp)

Is DOE a Part of Lean? (2007 Minnesota Quality Conference)

Why the Catapult is a Poor Teaching Tool for DOE (2016 White Paper)

3 Factor, Full Factorial Template

4 Factor, Full Factorial Template

Decision Making with Data (2012 Performance Excellence Network - Formerly Minnesota Council for Quality)

YouTube recording and slides for Decision Making with Data

Risk Management for Project Execution (2021 Medical Design and Manufacturing Conference)

Design News Columns

Unstable Product Requirements Are Driving Me Crazy! (May 2023)

No (Product Development) Vacancy (July 2023)

Strategic Testing During Development (September 2023)

Why Did My Test Fail? (November 2023)

Newspaper and Magazine Articles

Risk Management Means So Much More Than Compliance (MD+DI, October 2021)

Bringing Never Been Done Before Technologies to Customers (Design News, October 2022)

Feasibility Studies and Process Development (Plastics Decorating, July/ Aug 2021)

Engineering Top Performance (Minneapolis Star Tribune, October 2011)

Take Device Performance to the Next Level (MD+DI, September 2018)

Trend Analysis to Acquire Knowledge and Increased Volumes (Plastics Decorating, Fall 2012)

Manufacturer Source Selection Interview (Protolabs Interview, 2017)

What Will 2019 Bring MedTech (MD+DI Interview, December 2018 - Perry's Comments Begin on Page 5)

New Coach (St. Cloud Times Interview, November 18, 2014)

Risk Management in Process Development (Inside Rubber, 2022 - Begins on Page 6)

Developing Raw Technology (MD+DI, March 2020)

Avoiding Coaching Burnout (MaxOne Interview, January, 2022)

Avoid Consequences of an Experiment Gone Wrong (MD+DI, August 2017)

The Value of Quality Function Deployment in New Product Development (Plastics Decorating, Spring 2015)

The Challenges of 3D Printing in a Regulated Industry (Plastics Today, September 2023)

MedTech Trends to Watch 2020 (MD+DI Interview, December 2019 - Perry's Comments are on Page 9 and 13)

Learning Approach to Equipment Set Up (Plastics Decorating, Jan/ Feb 2017)

Beware: 10 Things that Should Scare a Medtech Startup (MD+DI, June 2020)

The 3 Key Risks of 3D Printing Medical Devices (Design News, April 2019)

DOE Brings Benefits to Process Design (Plastics Business, Fall 2012)

Creative by Design (American Society for Quality, August 2015)

Design of Experiments in R&D (Design News, March 2023)

Podcasts and Radio Interviews

May 2016 Accendo Reliability Podcast (link provides access to entire series) "Robust Design Insight"

November 14, 2011, 4-5 pm, Business AM 1570, "How to Take Your Business to the Next Level"

August 2017 Accendo Webinar "Practical Application of Design Of Experiments - Full Slides and Webinar window available for free members on the Accendo website"

December 16, 2009, 5-6 pm, Business AM 1570, "Coaching in Business Problem Solving"

April 2022 Apex Ridge Podcast "Risk Analysis in New Product Development" - scroll down below header and hit play

May 19, 2010, 4-5 pm, Business AM 1570, "Good Networking"

Videos and Video Briefs

Each brief includes several videos to expand on the topics for each subject. Pick an area of interest to improve your understanding and ability to apply.

Seven Simple Tools for Problem Solving In my first training class about process improvement they talked about the Seven Simple Tools of Problem Solving. They are all still highly relevant building blocks.

Manufacturing Projects How do we approach a manufacturing project - to address it permanently yet with limited scrap and downtime.

Achieving Innovation Companies want to be creative and innovative. How can Design of Experiments help with that? You might be surprised.

Overcoming Development Challenges When a project experiences a challenge, what do you do? What should you do? We explore this topic - a key to successful New Product Development.

Project Execution Are the projects executed valuable? Here are case studies at various phases of the process.

Program Management How can effectiveness be improved with New Product Development? What are keys to success.

Underused Product Development Tools When involved in new product development, we have no time for wasting time. What tools should we be interested in?

Decision Making Bias How can we reduce the unintended biases and improve our overall decision making processes?

Training Effectiveness How do we create a valuable training program? How can we spot a bad one?

Our DOE Process - Decision Making Focus Too often Design of Experiments is presented as a series of tools. Instead, it is best used as a decision making methodology.

Achieving Robust Design Creating a Robust Design is of high interest. How can you make it happen? Can you do it cost effectively? We can provide a design or process that meets the level of robustness that you desire and maintain your schedule.

A listing of our YouTube videos, covering a range of topics, is provided below: